This invention relates generally to anti-tip blocking devices for storage systems and more particularly to an improved anti-tip blocking device for file cabinets to prevent the opening of more than one file drawer.
A known danger of conventional filing cabinets with a number of horizontally slidable file drawers is that if more than one of the drawers may be pulled out at the same time, the cabinet may tip over. This inherent hazard is particularly true where one file drawer may be heavily loaded. Another inherent danger arises where the cantilevered weight of an opened drawer, while not sufficient in itself to cause the cabinet to tip over, may cause the cabinet to assume a forwardly inclined attitude so that other drawers may, due to gravity, roll from a closed to an open position causing the cabinet to thereby tip over.
A number of anti-tip devices are known for filing cabinets to prevent more than one file drawer from being opened at one time. One known type provides a number of floating locking bars which are stacked to slide vertically within a vertical channel. In such systems, the total vertical space in the channel within which the stacked bars are free to move is limited. Means are provided whereby opening of any drawer required additional vertical space in the channel to be occupied. With the free vertical space in the channel limited to the space required for the opening of one drawer, once any one of the drawers is opened, insufficient vertical space then remains for any other drawer to be opened at the same time.
Known anti-tip systems with such floating locking bars include the systems disclosed in Canadian Pat. No. 1,037,093 issued Aug. 22, 1978 and Canadian Pat. No. 1,114,883 issued Dec. 22, 1981. In the system of Canadian Pat. No. 1,037,093 each locking bar has a cam element secured to its lower end and journalled to the locking bar for rotation in relation thereto. In the system of Canadian Pat. No. 1,114,833 between each stacked locking bar a rotatable cam element is provided which cam element is secured and journalled to the channel in which the locking bars are slidably retained. The systems of both these patents have the disadvantages that they require cam elements to be secured to. and journalled for rotation to either the locking bars or the channel retaining the locking bars, thereby occasioning complicated assembly and expense in manufacture.